Not a fan, but I must point out 2 noticeable exceptions:

The Total Annihilation Soundtrack

Constantine Soundtrack

Thats as classical as i get.

-:-
You Wanna Revolution?

Wilde,everyone is allowed their views,i don't disagree with you..he is exactly what u said,but we're not judging the composer here,but his composistions,we all know what u think of wagner as u've told us numerous times on other threads...so can we just keep it to the music?or is that too much to ask?

Good to see the evil thing remembered that Holst.. with the planets symphonies.. was the originator of the 'space' theme..

Apart form that:
Tchaikovsky's 1812.. is an unreal speaker buster.. particularly the version with the real cannons.. at volume it destroys voice coils... lol..

Harrier

Tchaikovsky's 1812...have to agree on that one

I love Der Fliegende Hollander but then I like the story too, not just Wagner's score. In some scumhole in N Africa I met an old man who said his friend had seen the Flying Dutchman once (the ghost ship not the opera) - well that's what he said.

it's really hard with Wagner isn't it? I love the music but detest the man, and even when I listen to the music I'm aware I'm being manipulated. in 1986 I went to Bayreuth with my then-girlfriend to the Ring cycle and even though strenuous efforts had been made to de-nazi-fy the production*, you could still see how easily the silly beggers could be deluded by this romantic mystical nonsense. I remember looking round the audience (during the boring bits) and trying to guess which ones might stand up and start *Sieg Heil* -ing. None did but I catch some later on saying how much better it had been before the War. Personally I rather like the dark minimalist sets which used stark light contrasts, rather than masses of ornate set decoration and overblown costumes. Traditional gesamstkunstwerke afficionados would hate it, i thought it was a good effort at breaking away from the past. Unfortunately, Wagner's loathsome personality overshadows any effort to re-integrate his work.

I adore Parsifal, it's prob my favourite overture and always reduces me tears. and the thing is, i feel dirty for doing so, not just because of the use that the music was put to by the jackboot boys but also because the composer himself would have been one of them, if he'd lived that long - true love unattainable until death, power of the spiritual over the secular, and family cohesion surmounting all obstacles - what romantic claptrap. sounds good though doesn't it? ugh, i need a bath now.

*we went for the whole Cycle, it took ages! worth it though.

<stops choking on Chip's *John Williams* comment..> I was turning blue for a while there.

"an arrogant, self-obsessed, narcissistic, mysogynist, elitist pr*ck of gargantuan porportions..." people say that about me all the time!



Edited by - Grand Mullah Tawakalna on 10/2/2005 11:23:05 AM

I guess his personality is exuded in his work.... maybe that's the reason. The only time I really thought his music was appropriate was in Apocalypse now.

You talking about that Chopper blasting as they came to the beach, Air Cav in force?

Edited by - Finalday on 10/2/2005 12:36:35 PM

well, itw as rather appropriate in Excalibur as well, and in the rather enjoyable German-language film of Gotterdammerung. And Wagner's influence on the symphonic score has directly brought about some of the most stirring film soundtracks, many of which are rooted in his style.

---

The Total Annihilation Soundtrack

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Yes! Another example of how damn brilliant that game was/is.

Good composers:

Handel
Wagner
Orff
Strauss
Beethoven
Tchaikovsky
Mozart
Bach
Vivaldi

Edit: Stravinsky! Thanks Taw, the only clue I couldn't do in the crossword this morning was "composer of Firebird (10)". Knew he was an "-insky".

Edited by - Accushot on 10/2/2005 4:15:56 PM

What about John Williams for his classic soundtracks?? He is the best classical composer around today IMHO.

Tchaikovsky is very good, but I like Gustav Holst for his Planets Suite. I do not really have a fave composer, I just like good pieces of music, hence I like a lot of composers. Most of 'em just make me feel jealous though!!!

maybe they do pete, but we love you none the less

Don't want to repeat already mentioned big names (though I have to say that Mozart would never be on my list - too much functional music ; i.e. muzak of his time). I am switched on - Beethoven. Just after J.S.Bach

I'd like to add some more:

Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957)
best known for his Karelia Suite - If you ever have the chance to listen to it in a live concert, do it.
If you prefer Rock to Classics the you MUST know one of the different versions Keith Emerson (and The Nice) played the Ouverture to Karelia Suite. Just great.

György Ligeti (1923 - )
Ligeti writes some of the most emotive music of the 20th century. His Lux aeterna was used for 2001 - A Space Odyssey (Second Main Theme, the other one was Strauss' Donau-Waltz).
But listen to Lontano - the perfect Soundtrack for a trip into outer space (I will not make comparisons with any drug-experience here nor give advice )

Ligeti is not only cosmical but also comical. One of the rare composers in 20-century-classical-music with humour

Krzysztof Penderecki (1933 - )
I am completely atheist, Penderecki is MUCH catholic and actually working on a Polish Requiem in memory of Pope JPII (omg ).
But:
Penderecki did not write "Spirituals" but some just great, impressive and emotional music. Listen to "Stabat Mater" for three choirs - with the most astonishing final chord in D Major you probably ever have heard.

A word about "an arrogant, self-obsessed, narcissistic, mysogynist, elitist pr*ck of gargantuan porportions..." - Wilde created a classic ! You're right on Wagner. But even a complete @sshole can write great music.
I'd even say: the percentage of "arrogant, self-obsessed, narcissistic, mysogynist, elitist pr*cks" among composers/movie makers/artists in general is much higher than anywhere else.
You want examples ?
Robbie Williams, Madonna Louise Ciccone, Ritchie Blackmore; Alfred Hitchcock, W.C.Fields, Marlon Brando;

Edit: Spelling






Edited by - zazie on 10/3/2005 4:32:59 AM

@Fd.... Yeah. The Air Cavs scenes with Robert Duval's line ... "I love the smell of napalm in the morning...." Ride of the Valkyries is the music that gets blared out on the loudspeakers.

@Taw... Very true, many cinematic scores are influenced by Wagner's stylings and techniques - which again goes to the point about being over the top and bombastic. There is nothing subtle about music in movies - nor should there be as to do so would be at cross purposes.

@zazie

Yes but you've left out some real *winners*

Such as:

Tom (I am Dianetically free of engrams) Cruise
John (I met Princess Diana and am an expert to comment upon her life) Travolta
Oprah (I am Woman, hear me Cha-ching) Winfrey

To name a few from the US. I am sure there are many others.



Edited by - Indy11 on 10/3/2005 9:08:10 AM

Well, very true zazie.

Mm I forgot about Holst! Holst is good. From a distance.